Foldable extension-step for railway-cars.



P. M. BEARD.

FOLDABLE EXTENSION STEP FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY16.1917- WITNESSES;

Patented Ian. 15, T91 8.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

NVENTOFI A 9 Aw Va Patentefl Jan, 115,

2 SHETS-SHEET 2.

P. M. BEARD.

FOLDABLE EXTENSION STEP FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION FILED mm 18. 1911.

FAENT canton.

PERCY M. BEARD, OF HAZRDINSBURG, KENTUCKY.

FOLDABLE EXTENSION-STEP FOR, RAILWAY-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 15, 191%.

Application filed May 16, 1917. Serial No. 169,091.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERCY M. BEARD, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Hardinsburg, in the county of Breckenridge and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Foldable Extension-Steps for Railway-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved foldable ex tension step for use under the fixed lower step of a railway car or the like and provided with operating means to arrange said extension step for use and to fold said extension step under the fixed lower step, out of the way, when the car is in motion, the object of the invention being to effect improvements in the construction of the extension step; another object being to provide improved means for hanging said folding step and arranging the same so that the step is very strongly and firmly supported and may be readily compactly folded; a final object being to provide improved means for operating the extension step and for securing the same either in extended or in folded position.

The invention consists in the construe tion, combination and arrangement of clevices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the fixed steps of a railway car, provided with a fold-- able extension step constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention and showing the extension step in extended position.

Fig. 2 is an elevation, from the opposite side, of the same. and showing the exten sion step in folded position.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the same in extended position.

Fig. 4 is a detailed view.

The usual fixed steps of a railway car are indicated at 1, a portion of one of the platforms being indicated at 2.

My improved foldable extension step comprises a tread 3 and a riser 4. The riser is pivotally connected at its lower side to the tread by means of hinges 5 the leaves of which are here shown as secured on the upper side of the tread and the front or outer side of the riser, and the riser being arranged on the upper side of the rear portion of the tread.

The ends of the tread are secured in the channels of reinforcing channel irons d.

A hanger 7 is provided for the foldable extension step and comprises a rock shaft 8 which is mounted in supporting bearings 9 on the under side of the lower fixed step and crank arms 10 which extend downwardly from the ends of said rock shaft or hanger shaft and which have inwardly extended portions 11 at their lower ends which engage in bearing openings in the ends of the tread 3, near the rear side thereof, so that the tread is pivotally connected to the lower ends of the crank arms of the hanger shaft, the latter, by means of the bearings, being pivotally mounted under the lower fixed step. The tread 3 is arranged between the hanger shaft and its crank arms and is pro vided at the ends with arms 12 which ex tend upwardly therefrom and are pivotally mounted as at 13 on the hanger shaft. Hence the riser which is hingedly or pivotally connected to the tread is also pivotallv connected to the hanger shaft independently of the tread and hence the riser is adapted to fold under the lower fixed step and the tread of the extension step is adapted to fold directly under its riser.

An operating rock shaft 14 is mounted in bearings 15 in the rear sides of the carriages of the fixed steps, near their upper ends. and is provided at the center with a U-shaped rock arm 16 and at one end with a rock arm 17. A rod 18 has a lower bent end 19 which is secured under the bottom of the tread of the extension step, the upper end of said rod being pivotally connected to the arm 16 of the rock shaft.

I also provide a vertical shaft 20 which is mounted in a bearing 21 of the platform at one side of the fixed steps and which shaft has an arm 22 at its lower end connected by a pitman or link rod 23 to the arms 17 of the rock shaft 14. Said shaft 20 has a hand crank arm 23 at its upper end. The upper portion of the shaft 20 is arranged in a hearing or opening in a bracket 24 which is secured to the car and which is provided with suitable stops 25, 26 for engagement by the lever arm 23 to lock the shaft 20 with the extension step in either extended or folded position. It will be understood that by turning the shaft 20 in one direction the rock shaft 1 1 will be turned to cause its arm 16 and the rod 17 to move the extension step downwardly and outwardly and arrangethe extension step in extended position. By turning said shaft 20 correspondingly in the reverse direction the extension step will be folded under the lower fixed's't'ep, will be understood. "When the extension'step is in extended position below the lower fixed step, the riser of said "extension step prevents the possibility of any one injuring his foot by placing the same too far inwardly on the riser of the extension step when steppine on the same. i

While I have herein shown and described a preferred form of my invention I would have it understood that changes may be made in the form, proportion and construction of the several parts, Without departing from the spirit of my invention and Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim 1. A foldable extension step comprising a tread, a riser pivotally conneeted to the tread, a hanger shaft mounted in supports for p otal mo em nt and havin down: \vardly extending arms pivotally connected to t e tr d, the said riser be n P a l-yconnected at the upper side to said hanger ha t 2. A foldable extension step comprising a tread, a riser pivotally connected to the Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cent tread, a hanger shaft mounted in supports rar'pivoml movement and having downwardly extending arms pivotally connected t the tread, he said ri being Pivotally connected at the upper side to said hanger shaft, in combination with an upper shaft having an arm, a rod connecting-said arm-to the tread of the extension step, and means to actuate said operating shaft.

3. In combination with fixed steps a foldable extension step below the lowermost fixed step and comprising a tread, a riser pivotally connected to the tread and means for hanging and permitting the folding of the tread and riser, a rock shaft mounted on the rear side of the fixed steps and having an arm, a rod connecting said arm to the tread of the extension step, a second arm on said rock shaft, a vertically mounted shaft a i g a rm a t l wer end, a r man. cont st n said arm to the second r of th ac strait, i sane to en e said entral shaft to e tur ed. manu lly a d means to 199 said ve t al sha t a d cause the seaee 0 h l h ex nsie step i e ther ee eaderl or folded posit on. 7

In es i ony whereof l a ix ,mv ignawre PER M- BEARD- s a h y aadxe srs t vmm i qaes :9? Pat n Washington 12.0., 

